


Souls of the Sons

by JasnNCarly



Category: General Hospital, One Life to Live
Genre: Crossover, Drabble Series, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-05-12
Updated: 2015-03-27
Packaged: 2020-05-14 00:44:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 4,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19262530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasnNCarly/pseuds/JasnNCarly
Summary: Drabble series will center around the Ford Family moving from Llanview to Port Charles.





	1. Chapter 1

**~*~Easy~*~**  
  
His whole life had been a challenge, one after another, but he anticipated it – until now.  
  
The past month was a blur to him. After a brief encounter with Mitch Laurence, Ford woke up in a hospital bed to have his family surrounding him.  
  
 _“Bobby, she’s gone.” “It isn’t your fault.” “You have to be strong for your son.”_  
  
Jessica had died in an effort to get Mitch back for him, for her entire family, and she had paid the dearest price. Immediately afterward, Ford had an entirely new battle to face.  
  
 **~*~Ties~*~**  
  
 _“You will not take my grandchildren away. They’ve already lost their mother. They don’t need you as their father!”_  
  
Though Clint’s words wounded him, Ford could not deny the last document Jessica had signed before her last confrontation with Mitch.  
  
 _I, Jessica Buchanan, being of sound mind, leave my children, Brennan Buchanan and Ryder Ford, to Robert Ford._  
  
The court had decided in his favor, but Clint and the rest of the Buchanan family would challenge it; he would continue to fight back – certain Jessica trusted him with her most precious gift, slightly doubtful he was capable of the task.   
  
 **~*~Voices~*~**  
  
Releasing a shaky breath, he set the white roses upon her grave and tried to think of some word adequate enough to begin a conversation worthy of his angel’s ears.   
  
“She would have been happy with the judge’s decision.”  
  
Ford whipped his towards his adversary’s tone, immediately swiping tears away and putting up a brave front, “I agree. That’s why I’ll keep fighting Clint. Nora’s already agreed to continue with this custody case.”  
  
“Relax, Robert, I’m not here to argue on my husband’s behalf.”  
  
“What did you come here for, Vicki?”  
  
“Well, to visit Jessica…and I hoped to see you.”   
  
 **~*~Doubtful~*~**  
  
“I wanted to tell you that if there’s anything you need—”  
  
“Right, so you can run to Clint and tell him I’m proving to be unfit father? I have my mother watching the kids right now, and my brothers are more than happy to help when I’m—”  
  
“I trust my daughter’s instincts.” Unable to mask her tears any longer, she bowed her head lifted a crumpled tissue to her cheeks, “I know you will make sure my grandchildren are well provided for, but I would—please let me help you care for them. You shouldn’t have to struggle.”


	2. Chapter 2

**~*~Pride~*~**  
  
“I don’t want your handout.” Ford turned back towards Jessica’s grave, needing a reminder to calm down – needing to shake off the insult, remove the salt from an already open wound; nothing within him felt capable of being the type of father he wanted to be, and her words were a simple, painful reminder of this.  
  
“It’s not a handout.” In his peripheral, he saw her remove something from her purse and extend it towards him, “This account is open and available. Spend some or none of it. I just—I need to know I’ve done this for my grandchildren.”  
  
 **~*~Forfeit~*~**  
  
Ford gave a small nod, accepting the paper work.   
  
Vicki rewarded him one last heartbroken, forced grin before stepping away.  
  
“Mrs. Buchanan?” Ford put forth his bravest front, the tears glossing his eyes revealed his doubt, “Jessica meant everything and, if I could’ve saved her, I would’ve. I—I tried, but it wasn’t enough. And I—I love Bree as much as I love Ryder. I’m gonna do everything I can to be the kind of father they deserve.”  
  
Vicki choked back a sob, closing the distance between them and bringing him into a motherly embrace, “I know you will.”  
  
 **~*~Band~*~**  
  
James let out a sharp laugh, “What do you mean you’re leaving?”   
  
Ford knew they would fight him, but he had called a family meeting in hopes they would resist but ultimately give into his decision, “Ryder and Bree need a new beginning. They need something to look forward to, and it isn’t in Llanview.”  
  
Crossing his arms, Nate’s anger was even with his brother’s, “Yeah, so where is it?”  
  
“Port Charles.”  
  
Before the brothers could continue their interrogation, Inez held up their hands to keep them quiet, “Bobby, why there? What could be more important than your family’s support?”  
  
 **~*~Army~*~**  
  
“Nothing’s more important to me than my family; don’t you see that’s why I have to do this?”   
  
Ford’s announcement continued to throw off the family’s balance, all anxious to question his sanity yet too cautious to challenge him with the frustration they felt; instead, the three of them took seats around Ford and waited for him to continue.  
  
“I bought a home from some cop named Lucky Spencer. It’s a done deal.”  
  
“Well, then we leave together.” Inez’s abrupt declaration caused the boys’ eyes to go wide, “Don’t you think for a second that you’re doing this alone, Bobby.”


	3. Chapter 3

**~*~Boxes~*~**

“So what do you think, Bree? What should we put up on the walls, huh? Butterflies, princesses, shooting stars?” Ford’s excitement died down as he turned to find the eight-year-old holding a tiny box in her hands, “Whatcha got there?”

“It was mommy’s.” Bree’s tiny voice came out shaky as her eyes sought his, “Do you think she’s happier in heaven then with us, Uncle Bobby?”

He had no time to acknowledge the sharp pain in his chest as he took a seat beside her, “Your mom was happiest when she was with you and Ryder, nothing could top that.”

**~*~Set Up~*~**

“I can’t believe Bobby thought ** _this_**  town would be a good place to start over.”

“Bobby?” Nate chuckled at his brother’s complaint, helping him hull the sofa to a new spot in the living room, “What about mom? She agreed to follow and volunteered us for the same.”

“Yeah, but,” James let out a final grunt as they finished their rearrangement of the furniture, “Starr’s been here. This is where she lost Cole and Hope.”

“You afraid of running into her?”

“Well, what am I supposed to say to her now that she’s lost everything?”

“And after she dumped you.”

**~*~Dispute~*~**

Inez continued to unpack their items for the kitchen, pleased with the house’s layout. 

A new town, no matter what history it carried, would be useful to the Ford/Salinger family because it meant a new beginning: one which came with plenty of responsibility.

She wasn’t allowing herself to fall behind this time; she had scheduled a meeting with the commissioner and a new lawyer to handle any issues which may linger in Llanview.

Clint Buchanan wouldn’t come between her, her boys, and her grandchildren; she would make sure of that – even if it meant loving a town like Port Charles.

**~*~Check-In~*~**

“I thought you said another month or so?”

Ford gave a firm nod, handing over the check, “I thought I'd need it, but I came into the money needed to cover my debt to you.” He waited a beat for the check to disappear into the man’s coat pocket before extending his hand, “I can’t thank you enough for selling this place to me, Lucky.”

“Think nothing of it, man. Hopefully, it will work better for you than it did my family.” He shook his hand before patting his shoulder, “Single fathers need all the help we can get, right?”

 


	4. Chapter 4

**~*~Established~*~**  
  
“If you don’t mind me asking…how long ago did you lose Elizabeth?” Lucky’s blue eyes glossed with a mist at Ford’s question, prompting him to add, “I feel like Jessica’s still…somewhere. Can’t believe she’s gone.”  
  
“It happened right after Jake’s passing.” Lucky scratched his chin, trying to distract himself from the conversation, “She left me our son in her will. She had it—planned. It was…selfish.”  
  
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”  
  
“No, it’s…okay.” Lucky offered a weak smile, “No matter what the reason, it’s never easy. Especially for the kids left behind.”  
  
“…I just want—pray that I’m enough.”  
  
 **~*~Rounds~*~**  
  
“Excuse me?” Nate tried to appear as friendly and casual as possible, especially when not one spot in the town had a ‘hiring’ sign posted, “Is the manager here?”  
  
“I’m who you wanna talk to.”  
  
He wasn’t easily intimidated, but the man’s dark complexion only emphasized the tension in his jaw and biceps, “Do you happen to have any positions open? My family just moved to town, and I could really use a job.”  
  
“As?”  
  
“Whatever you need. I could do anything from cooking to cleaning the tables. I’d happily take anything.”  
  
The man gave a small nod, “I’m Shawn.”  
 **  
~*~Impression~*~**  
  
“Ms. Salinger?”  
  
The second her ebony eyes took in the vision of Mac Scorpio, she was sure the position as his secretary would only mean trouble for her.   
  
“Inez, sorry, I’m little out of it.” When his brow wrinkled, clearly questioning her stability, she jumped at the opportunity to defend herself, “No, not like that, not in a ‘I’m really loopy or forgetful way’ but more of a ‘just moved to town with my sons and grandkids’ sort of forgetfulness. It won’t last. I can promise you that. I’m—” She noted his somewhat amused half grin, “rambling, aren’t I?”  
  
 **~*~Retention~*~**  
  
 _“We’ll let you know.”_  
  
James prayed one of the garages would hire him and give him an opportunity to return to the only thing he seemed to understand – cars; he walked all morning, hoping to get a lay of the land and find employment, yet remained in the shadows in fear of who he’d see.  
  
Wandering closer to the water, he allowed a slight smile to form on his lips at the calm of the dock’s ripples – prompting him to consider a job working in the area.   
  
His eyes surveyed the area, frozen when they registered her familiar blonde mane.


	5. Chapter 5

**~*~Move~*~**  
  
 _How could she be more beautiful than I remember?_  
  
The shattered pieces of his heart squirmed in their separate spots.  
  
James wanted to come to her when he found out about Cole and Hope, yet he was certain he had no right; now, his shoulders were weighed down with guilt.  
  
The loud ring of his cell phone robbed him of any split decision making, “Hello?”  
  
“Is this—James Ford?”  
  
“Yes, it is.”  
  
“Head back to the shop where you slid the application under the garage door. You want to be quick because I might have a job available for you.”  
  
 **~*~Interview~*~**  
  
“I know my experience is limited, but I’m certain Mr. Buchanan could give you a recommendation for me. My time working for him was…productive, but I learn very quickly. I know how to stay on top,” Inez found her mouth growing dry as she continued to ramble, watching as Mac’s eyes moved from her resume to her lips which refused to stop flapping, “of things—”  
  
“Ms. Salinger,” Mac let out a small smile to form on his lips as she snapped her lips shut, accompanying his words with a small nod, “You’re hired.”  
  
“Mr. Scorpio, you won’t regret this.”  
  
 **~*~Deal~*~**  
  
Nate had been moving nonstop, rolling up his sleeves and doing every job Shawn ordered him to with speed and without any argument; a job for him could mean even better possibilities for his family - especially his adopted niece and his growing nephew.   
  
It was the first time he got to live with his entire family, enjoy the tight knit possibilities of unconditional love and support; he wanted to give as much as he took being the youngest brother who made, perhaps, the biggest mess in Llanview.  
  
Nate was determined to create rich possibilities, for everyone irreplaceable to him.  
  
 **~*~Attendance~*~**  
  
Bree’s slumped shoulders signaled the trip to her new school failed to lift her spirits; before she could enter the house, Ford stopped at the foot of the steps and called out to her.  
  
She turned around, her head hung low, as she placed her hands behind her back.  
  
“Tell me what’s wrong.”  
  
The little girl’s head lifted, her blue eyes nearly knocking him over with the familiarity of her mother’s gaze, “I don’t want to go to school.”  
  
“Why?” Ford’s question caused her hands to fly to her face, and her tiny sobs sent him rushing to embrace her.


	6. Chapter 6

**~*~Delicate~*~**  
  
Her blue orbs were saucer wide as she looked up to him, “I’m afraid you’ll go away.”  
  
Running a hand over her soft curls, Ford sunk down a step so their eyes were level, “I was scared when I couldn’t see you and Ryder, but I knew if I kept my promise to your mommy…we’d all be together again.” Ford scooped Bree’s pinkie up with his own, “Now, I’ll make a promise to you…I’m not going anywhere. You and Ryder can always depend on me.”  
  
Bree smiled through tears, following his lead to kiss her thumb and seal the deal.  
  
 **~*~Hire~*~**  
  
“Hello?” James stepped into the open garage, immediately allowing the scent of motor oil to comfort him with memories of how easy and fulfilling the work was.  
  
The emotion was short lived as his eyes spotted someone emerging from the back, wiping his hands, his dark eyes immediately scanning him from head to toe.  
  
Extending his hand to the stranger, James forced a smile, “We talked on the phone about a possible position.”  
  
“You’re hired.” The man gave his hand a firm shake, introducing himself without the slightest hint of politeness laced in his tone, “I’m your boss, Johnny Zacchara.”  
  
 **~*~Order~*~**  
  
“You must be new.” Nate paused his cleaning of the table as her fingers readjusted the coffee cups, her gentle voice a perfect match to her angelic features, “Shawn is very particular.”  
  
“Thanks.” He threw the washcloth into his dish bin, eyeing the petite brunette with mild interest, “And you are?”  
  
She extended her hand with a beaming smile, “Molly Lansing.”  
  
After wiping his hands on his apron, he gave her hand an awkward shake, “Nate Salinger.”  
  
“And I’m T.J.” The young man stepped up between them, his eyes sharp black iron daggers trying to pierce Nate’s gaze, “Molly’s boyfriend.”  
  
 **~*~Hand~*~**  
  
Her whole body swelled with pride as she continued to make preparations for family dinner, a tradition she hoped to start and maintain since they had moved away from Llanview drama; emptying the cutting board into the pot, she reached for corn as she spotted a figure in the kitchen’s archway.  
  
Inez paused her process, turning to face the shy blonde child, and offered a warm smile, “You wanna help me?” When Bree gave a firm nod, she moved the corn to the table to show her how to peel the husks, the whole time feeling renewed – prideful as ‘Nana’.


	7. Chapter 7

**~*~Sundown~*~**  
  
“Not too bad for our first week in Port Charles. Almost all of us have jobs, Bree’s in school, and Ryder’s slept at least four hours straight.” Ford maintained optimism despite the urge to crumble under pressure; he still had not found reliable daycare for his son or a job he could so easily adjust to after his daily routine as a hotdog.   
  
“Bobby?” James voice pulled him out his self-deprecating thought, a small on his brother’s lips, “Since when are you Captain Optimism?”   
  
“Since it meant our family finally got the chance to be just that, a real family.”   
  
 **~*~Settle~*~**  
  
“I’m sorry if I came wrong the other day. Molly’s just way too nice to strangers.”  
  
Nate finished his clean up of the table, standing straight to face TJ like a man. They weren’t that far apart in age and, if anyone understood what it was like to be protective of a somewhat naïve girlfriend, it was him. The reminder of this role slightly burned Nate with emptiness of no contact with Dani.  
  
Wiping his hand against his jeans before presenting it to TJ, Nate awarded him a smile sympathetic smile, “Innocent mistake. Won’t happen again.”  
  
“For either of us.”   
  
 **~*~Gash~*~**  
  
“Damn it!” Inez had recognized the paper cut a little too late, the blood rushing through the opening and dotting more than one office supply.  
  
“I hope this doesn’t mean you’re going to ask for the whole day off.”  
  
She spun around to find amusement dancing in his aqua gaze, causing her to bump into a wall, “Nope, just gotta find a first-aid kit.”  
  
Mac reached around her hip to retrieve the small case, soon wrapping a Band-Aid around her fingertip, unaware of Inez’s admiring gaze as he did so; their first contact beyond rushed paper work and phone messages.  
  
 **~*~Clientele~*~**  
  
“I need to speak to Johnny!”  
  
James barely heard the voice over his blaring music as he continued to work under the car, “He won’t be back ‘til tomorrow! You’re welcome to leave him a message!”  
  
The music suddenly switched off; he frowned, ready to ask his own questions, until he spotted the customer’s black high heels, “This can’t wait.”  
  
The voice confirmed those same shoes had stomped on his heart, left him feeling useless. Staring at the car, the only mechanics he understood, he pinched his lips shut.  
  
Maybe he could delay the inevitable just a little while longer.


	8. Chapter 8

**~*~Head On~*~**  
  
When it became clear avoidance was no longer possible, he rolled out from beneath the car and looked up to find her features dumbfounded.   
  
He couldn’t be distracted by the facee he had fallen so hard for, forcing himself to remain cold; standing to his feet and wandering to his tools, “As I said before, Mr. Zacharra will not be in until tomorrow.”  
  
“James?” His name left her lips in a breath that said the window had been knocked out of her, “Wha—when did you get to Port Charles? Are you—staying? Is everything okay or—”  
  
“Everything’s fine.”  
  
 **~*~Space~*~**  
  
Nate tried to get the courage to call her, to ask about her class schedule and act like everything was okay; every word he could conjure seemed too simply or fake, leaving him with only one option. Tucking his phone into his jeans, he walked back into Kelly’s and busied himself as quick as possible.  
  
Dani worked towards forgiving him, towards leaving him with a glimmer of hope that they’d have a chance again; however, she also made it clear she needed time.  
  
By the time she had everything figured out, Nate feared she wouldn’t need a man like him.  
  
 **~*~Casual~*~**  
  
“You’re telling me haven’t explored the vast amount of hot spots in Port Charles?”  
  
“Oh, because there are so many!” Inez laughed at his teasing, unable to keep a straight face when Mac was around; how this man was still single remained a mystery.  
  
“Will your boys be expecting a homemade meal? Or do you think I’d have a chance to show you around?”  
  
“I think I could make the appropriate arrangements if you were willing to educate a stranger.”  
  
Mac’s expression fell before plans could be finalized, his question suggesting a reason why, “Alexis, what are you doing here?”  
  
 **~*~Ringer~*~**  
  
“Emma, wait!”  
  
Ford was pushing Ryder and Bree in side by side swings when he heard the call, his grin widening as a tiny brunette approached the empty seat beside his children.  
  
“Hi.” The little girl greeted him with a bright smile and big brown eyes.  
  
“Hi.”  
  
Before he could introduce her to Bree, the woman’s voice huffed, “Does it look like it’s easy to run in these heels!”  
  
Ford tried to maintain his smile of moments ago as the blonde occupied the space behind the child, her blue eyes a painful reminder of everything he had lost with Jessica.


	9. Chapter 9

**~*~Mingle~*~**  
  
“Hi, my name’s Emma; that’s Maxie!”  
  
Bree let out the tiniest hint of a smile, “Hi.”  
  
The girls’ tiny exchange was almost enough to pull his eyes away from Emma’s caretaker, “You think you’re ready for a playground date?”  
  
She yanked off her heels, cringing at the sand as it rubbed against her pantyhose, “Her father got called for some emergency surgery, and I didn’t have much of a choice.”  
  
Ford nodded, chuckling to himself as he returned to pushing his kids; he had to add a third rotation when Emma politely asked him to do the same for her.  
  
 **~*~Tips~*~**  
  
“You really like this job?”  
  
Nate wasn’t in the mood; Kelly’s had been too busy for TJ to school him about some girl he had no interest in. Continuing to scrub dishes, he rose his voice just enough to warn his company away, “Yeah, why? You gonna tell me how I need to act to keep it?”  
  
“No.” TJ walked up beside him, his expression veering towards apologetic, “I was thinking about talking to Shawn. See if I could get more time to volunteer at this place downtown, but he’d need another server.”  
  
“Really?”  
  
“It’s up to you.”  
  
“…thanks, man.”  
  
 **~*~Confrontation~*~**  
  
“Is this how it’s always going to be between us? You acting like I barely exist?”  
  
“I went to the service for Cole and Hope, Starr.” James couldn’t face her; her features, all of which he had memorized, ripped at the seams he barely kept together, “I wanted to give you space; I got the courage to say something. Only to find out you were staying with someone in Port Charles.”  
  
“James…Michael’s the guy who found—”  
  
“You don’t owe me an explanation.” He finally faced her, losing all emotion in his demeanor, “But like I said. Johnny’s not here.”  
  
 **~*~Cracked Foundation~*~**  
  
Alexis was beautiful, clearly in control, as she engaged in a heated exchange with Mac; something about some arrest she wanted to question before another lawyer could get to the PCPD.   
  
 _Sonny Corinthos._  
  
Inez had heard the name around town, but had no interest in speaking to a man that made an already small town claustrophobic; however, Mac seemed enamored with Alexis and gave in.   
  
It was the smallest, hurtful hint. Mac was not single after all. He was stuck in something else.  
  
As he led Alexis to an interrogation room, Inez gathered her things and called it a day.


	10. Chapter 10

**~*~Chair Swing~*~**  
  
Inez gave a push with her tiptoes, recalling the look Mac gave Alexis and sighing at the sadness it treated her to. Was it business? Didn’t matter as long as he gave her not the slightest explanation.  
  
“Mom?” The one thing that could make her feel better, blessed even, was hearing that word so affectionately aimed her way, “You okay?”  
  
When she looked up to see Bobby, the eldest of her boys with his worried eyes upon her, she could nothing more than lightly tap the available space beside herself.  
  
“Long day.”  
  
She gave a small, repetitive nod, “Very long.”  
  
 **~*~Partial~*~**  
  
James had finished projects ahead of schedule after dismissing Starr; each one was a separate effort to forget her – to forget that she would rather turn to a complete stranger than to him.  
  
Hearing the loud banging on the garage door, James called out, “We’re closed!”  
  
“I need to speak with Johnny, and I’m not leaving here until someone tells me where he’s at.”  
  
“What is today? How many times do I have to” James threw down his tools, huffing as a greeting, “Johnny’s NOT…here…”  
  
Trailing off, James had little defense against the mysterious beauty’s stance.  
  
“I’m his lawyer, Gia Campbell.”  
  
 **~*~Speechless~*~**  
  
She had the type of beauty that was not fair to the human race; there was no doubt, as Gia entered the room, no one could compare to her.  
  
Her heels beat against the garage floor as her eyes surveyed the room, fabric hugged at her curves - giving James thoughts he had not been interested in for some time.  
  
His boss’ lawyer, not a woman to be played with, yet she had caught his admiring gaze.  
  
Flattered, she pulled a card out of her pocket and slapped it against his chest, “Make sure he gives me a call, okay?”  
  
 **~*~Wishing Stars~*~**  
  
“I shouldn’t be interested in my boss anyway. We saw where that got me last time.”  
  
“As much as I’d love to say that was all your fault,” Ford gave a halfhearted smile, “it wasn’t. All of Llanview was in a pretty terrible place at the time, and you got to be manipulated into the last situation you needed to be.”  
  
“Could it be you actually understand what I did?”  
  
Ford stared at his hands while rubbing his palms together, “I understand you could love your child so much that you would sacrifice just about anything to make them happy.”


End file.
